STEVE SMITH -- What’s Up

Our party of eight had just finished an exceptional dinner at Stefano

near South Coast Plaza when Cay suggested we all go for a walk in the

nearby Noguchi sculpture garden. Half of our party had never visited what

has become one of our favorite pocket getaways, so we took a few moments

to stroll and explain what the garden represents.

As we stood there admiring this jewel of the county, two teenagers

decided to show us the garden’s true purpose by riding down the marble

pyramid and hopping boulders on their skateboards.

My first instinct was to yell, jump up and down and bang a few pots,

but then I remembered that that was the strategy to chase away bears, not

teens who were likely these days to ignore an adult instead of listen.

So, I did what any self-respecting middle-aged guy with a full stomach

would do with the job of telling them to stop -- I delegated it. I walked

over to a nearby office building and told a security guard in the lobby

that two skateboarders were defacing the garden. She came out right away

and politely asked them to stop, which they did.

Driving home, I became concerned that perhaps this incident was an

indicator of how far we have fallen in our appreciation of art and

architecture.

The vast majority of readers have probably never visited the garden,

which is surrounded by restaurants, offices and parking structures.

It’s not an easy place to get to because visitors often have to pay

for parking. One of the best ways to see the garden is to park for free

across the street at South Coast Plaza and walk over Bristol Street via

the pedestrian bridge, but please don’t tell the Segerstrom family you

heard that from me.

And if most readers have not visited this very special place, it is

likely that even more do not know about the special man who created it.

Isamu Noguchi was born in Los Angeles in 1904. At the age of 2, his

family moved to Japan, where he lived until he was 14, when they moved to

Indiana.

When West Coast Japanese Americans were relocated to concentration

camps during World War II, Noguchi was living in New York. Although he

was not required to relocate, Noguchi voluntarily entered the camp at

Poston, Ariz., where he stayed for about six months. Having entered to

try to make physical improvements to the camp, Noguchi left after

becoming frustrated with efforts to implement some of his plans.

Noguchi returned to New York, where he began a successful career as an

artist and designer.

Noguchi’s work has won international acclaim and appears in such

countries as Germany, India, France, Israel, Italy, Mexico and Japan.

Nineteen U.S. states boast Noguchi works. He was even asked to contribute

to the design of the tomb for President John F. Kennedy. Noguchi died in

1988.

A lot of folks in Costa Mesa believe California Scenario, the garden’s

official name, is expendable. And rather than discuss the merits of the

garden, they attempted to change the debate to the motives of its

supporters.

It’s an old trick. When you have no defense for your own position, you

attack your opponent.

California Scenario is not a football to be tossed around each time a

new administration sits down at City Hall. Its value is not subjective,

it is an asset to the city of Costa Mesa. Like other reminders of our

heritage and other precious works of art, California Scenario was not

designed to be moved or altered simply because a developer or city

official or a few vocal residents grew tired of it or valued its real

estate more than its beauty. To these people, parks, gardens, art and

architecture are measured in dollars and cents and as income or expense.

If it doesn’t generate revenue, it’s up for review at any time.

California Scenario is a special place that the residents of Costa

Mesa are extremely fortunate to have and although “in perpetuity” would

have been nice to have on a contract, I’ll take the 50-year maintenance

agreement that finally won approval.

California Scenario’s scenario will be replayed over and over again as

those who wish to preserve and protect these city oases battle those

whose sole criteria for support is their own private agenda and limited

vision.

My hope is that my kids and others will appear at that City Council

meeting in 2051 to fend off those who, like the two teens after our

dinner, are likely to suggest killing two birds with one stone by turning

the garden into a skateboard park.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and freelance writer. Readers

may leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at (949) 642-6086.